Borough staff present $33M animal shelter plan, request $16M from CIP maintenance reserve

Borough staff presented detailed plans and a funding request for a new animal shelter on Jan. 29, describing an aging 1974 facility with failing heating, plumbing and ventilation systems and a design that no longer meets contemporary animal‑care standards.

"There’s inadequate space for the animals and the staff," said Marco Stepovich, project engineer for the borough’s design and construction department. Stepovich outlined a site and floor plan that separates intake lanes by species, adds isolation and recovery rooms, and creates a dedicated surgery suite to meet Association of Shelter Veterinarian guidelines.

Animal control manager Kimberly Imbert described operational and public‑health risks at the current shelter, including vents and flooring that hamper disease control. "Our current facility makes it difficult to maintain humane conditions required by standards; we’ve had to divert heat away from staff areas to keep kennel areas warm," she said, explaining why a new mechanical and ventilation design is needed.

Costs, scope and timing: staff said the design has been completed and that the project estimate rose to about $33 million after updated scopes and inflation. They proposed $16 million in additional funding from the Capital Improvement Program Maintenance Reserve (CIPMR) for the construction phase and provided a breakdown: roughly 83% for construction, 6% contingency and the balance for design, management and acquisition costs. Additive alternates (additional kennel space, a sally port for vehicle intake, humidification, upgraded finishes) were identified if bids permit.

Capacity and operations: staff said the draft design includes 39 kennels (compared with 36 today) and the ability to double capacity in emergencies by using paired kennels, yielding nearly 80 short‑term emergency spaces. The shelter reported about 3,000 animal intakes per year and stated that last year 38 animals were euthanized for lack of space; staff also reported roughly 65 owner‑requested euthanasia cases and 69 behavior‑related euthanasia decisions based on observations.

Procurement risks and timeline: presenters said they are preparing bid packages and anticipate the initial IFP release in early March, contract award in April 2026 and construction beginning in summer 2026 with major work continuing into 2027 and completion aimed for 2028. Committee members asked what happens if bids exceed the budget; staff said the assembly could decline awards or seek additional funds, and that the project includes contingency and third‑party cost review to minimize that risk.

Security and operations questions: members asked how the crematorium and disposal operations are secured; staff said the crematorium is in a locked staff area and that cameras monitor restricted zones. Members also asked about veterinary anesthesia: presenters said the current building cannot support gas anesthesia and that injectable protocols are increasingly uncommon, which creates operational risk for future veterinary services unless the facility is upgraded.

What’s next: the presentation served as the informational staff report for an ordinance that would appropriate $16,000,000 to the capital projects fund for the animal shelter replacement; the committee’s deliberations will feed into the budget and CIP processes and any appropriation will require subsequent ordinance action.